High prices and the inconvenience of cross-border parcel delivery have been identified as being among the main obstacles to greater uptake of e-commerce among European consumers and retailers. Research shows that current cross-border parcel delivery prices charged by universal service providers can be almost five times higher than domestic parcel delivery prices.

To remedy the situation, the European Commission presented a legislative proposal on cross-border parcel delivery services as part of its May 2016 e-commerce package. The proposal’s aim was to contribute to a reduction in delivery prices through increased price transparency and improved regulatory oversight.

The final act was signed in April 2018, following a compromise agreement between Parliament and the Council reached in December 2017. The new regulation will enable consumers and businesses to compare parcel delivery prices on a dedicated website, while national regulatory authorities will be provided with greater powers to monitor cross-border tariffs and assess those they consider to be unreasonably high.

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